The NewZealand Story

STORY / GAMEPLAY
You control a sneaker-wearing kiwi called Tiki and the goal of the game is to rescue your kiwi friends who have been kiwi-napped by Wally, a large blue walrus/leopard seal. You navigate in scrolling maze-like levels at the end of which they release a kiwi trapped in a cage. Your starting weapon is arrows but pickups can change these into bombs, lasers or bouncing fireballs. You may also find (or steal) and ride a variety of flying objects including balloons, blimps, and UFOs. These objects can be found ready to use or can be stolen from an enemy. Collect letters during your quest to complete the word "EXTEND" and it will instantly take you to the next stage (as in Bubble Bobble). The levels (and sub-levels) get progressively harder and the puzzles start creeping in (usually there is no obvious way of getting near the cages and rescue kiwis so you need to find a way with careful timing and appropriate shooting several foes and always having in mind the scattered spikes. There are even sub-aquatic sections in which Tiki must swim through tunnels (with limited oxygen) in order reach the cage. Time is actually a problem. Wander around on a stage for too long and a big "hurry up" notice will warn you. A few seconds later, a Devil appears and hits you with his trident and takes one of your lives (similarly situation as in Bubble Bobble as well)!

GRAPHICS / SOUND
The graphics on the X68000 can be considered as "arcade perfect" since this is the only home conversion that's almost identical to the original and superior to its counterparts (the Amiga and Atari ST respectively). The game's backgrounds (mountains, seas, etc) look stunning and the sprites are cute and move smoothly on screen. At the same time, some of the foes (especially the end-level bosses) are really large and very detailed. Also, the four-way scrolling is perfectly smooth. The X68000 conversion's sound is 100% replicating the original arcade's tunes and sound effects.